Chapter 34

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"Mom, no disrespect, but this feels like filler."

She paused as their heads nodded. Suiryu spoke what everyone was thinking, this was some good insight, however it's not letting them get any closer to why Sukuna lost his mind, why he killed the Toorus and hunted them after. They were nowhere near that answer.

She smiled to his comment. "I understand sweetie, but this is just setting it all up. As I said it would take some time to explain, but you see before you. Sukuna wasn't a greedy man, he was raised well, and yet, he fell from such a pleasant place he had come to call home."

"We know mom, but still…" Suiryu said reluctantly.

She sighed and nodded. "Very well, I will speed it up a few years. Sukuna turned 30 years old, as did Ryoto. Throughout their time together, Sukuna had learned from not just sorcerers who sought to gain knowledge from him, but by my son Ryujin himself. He understood there was curse and divine energy and why various people sough Ryujin's power. He vowed to protect him and the Toorus from those who were greedy.

Yet, as his power and influence grew, so did the fear of him. This call came ahead when he was invited to the jujutsu council for the first time. Of course, he was prepared for it and didn't go alone…

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"It's too tight…"

He was getting ready for this council meeting and had to dress as a proper lord and a respectable person. The Toorus were hard at work trying to find something that would suit his comfort. Yet it was a lot harder than it appeared. "What else have we not tried yet?"

They brought the best tailor to him, she measured him out and sighed. "These are not easy to work with… oddly… hmmm…" she paused to consider her words carefully.

"Oddly what?" he asked.

"My Lord, would you humor me and try something if I make it?"

He nodded to her. The young woman spent two days on the clothing, when she returned and presented him a white kimono with blue trim. Curious he tried it on, she even made extra arm sleeves for his lower arms. She tied it up and had him move about within the garment, and was relatively surprised by the comfort. "It's… good," he said and was rather impressed to it. "Comfortable and I can move in it. Why was this considered odd to you?"

The woman blushed oddly and hung her head. "Master, it's a woman's kimono." She said meekly.

"So?" he asked. "Woman's or not, it is comfortable and offers what I need. I wish to have another made if you please."

She was stunned but nodded to his request. From there, he was to pick two aides to this meeting, there were only two he had in mind. Ryoto and Kayda.

Kayda has grown into a young woman, however she knew her time was limited as well. "I would like to see the capital… just once," she said to him many months ago. This was her one chance to go, and he humbly asked her to join him. Ryoto would be his right hand.

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They gathered far and wide, the most influential people of the jujutsu world gathered in one place to speak about the future of sorcery. When Sukuna appeared, many were surprised, but they were even more stunned to see the Tooru family at his side.

He sensed something off instantly. Those who called for this meeting were glad to see he arrived, their smiles grew the moment they saw the Toorus. The elders offered him a seat at the head of the table, where all the nobles and those of great power sat. Many of them appeared disgusted at the notion of him sharing their table let alone meal with him. So he did what he thought was right, and sat among those who they didn't consider 'Noble'.

The elders smirked. They anticipated this as well.

Which means something else is to occur here.

"Gentlemen… welcome! Today we discuss the future of jujutsu, and look forward to the golden age that is upon us! Tonight, eat and enjoy your meal to its fullest, then we shall discuss the future of sorcerers!" the elder called.

They toasted their glasses as everyone began to partake in the meal. Sukuna instantly felt something was off. He took a taste of all the dishes and instantly picked up on it. Poison. All of it was poisoned but for four plates.

Ryoto was about to eat when Sukuna leaned over and picked off of his plate! The elders paused to his actions as he appeared to be taking certain things off of not just the plate of his right hand man, but that Kayda as well.

With his lower arms, he tapped the sides of various dishes with the chopsticks he was given. Ryoto got the message instantly. "Just for that, I'm taking this!" he stated and took one of the plates he tapped. Kayda did the same thing and took the ones that he pointed out with his lower arms.

All the other dishes had been tainted, yet, as he looked about the room, he began to wonder what the purpose of all this was.

Suddenly, those who sat at the lower tables began to drop dead.

More suddenly began to fall until only the noble and powerful remain. But, they stared at Sukuna and his company.

"You aren't settle when it comes to poisoning others aren't you?" he asked bluntly. "Why go this far?"

The elders sneered. "They were of commoner blood, their technique were no where near…"

"You never saw their methods." He snapped back. "You didn't see what their technique was and deemed it unfit because of their linage."

"You are lucky to still be speaking you monstrous brat! And you even brought the Toorus with you? Why on earth are you listening to them! YOU SHOULD BE LISTENING TO US YOU INGRATE!"

Sukuna continued to eat without care. "The Toorus… are a family… and one I wished to be a part of for I had none. They cared for me as if I were one of their own without asking anything in return. They fed me first when I was hungry, they clothed me with what they had when I was cold… and yet I am to sit here and believe your words that they are something of a bad influence on me? I know what I was to you all, a mere scapegoat to make the emperor look good and as a means of getting rid of me."

"Had we known you were so capable…"

"Had you know? And yet you still poison my food?"

They paused. "How could you still be alive if that's the case?" one laughed nervously.

So he smiled, standing up he picked out a plate from his table that he has yet to touch, and approached the head table. The elder who made such comments froze as he presented him his dish. "Then by all means, take your fill!" he said and glared down upon him.

He never reached for the plate, he didn't touch a single morsel of food. "So… tell me now… why did you try and poison me? It's clear that the way the jujutsu world works does not favor those of talent, but those of linage and power… you will breed yourselves into extinction if that is what you desire. Those you carelessly slaughtered here tonight… could have become powerful sorcerers if given the chance. But, you have deemed them unworthy and took matters into your own hands. It is you who are unworthy of such power." He said and smashed his plate to the ground. "Don't ever approach me again, or the Tooru family. I will make you regret it!"

He turned to his table, Ryoto nodded as he and Kayda stood up and walked out without another word. Ryoto sighed aloud as they were a good distance away. "Good thing you knew better. I would have eaten that…"

"Ryujin would have protected me, but at the same time, that would have exposed him too wouldn't it?" asked Kayda.

"Indeed, I do not care for this council, we must change this world of jujutsu. If those who are not of noble birth, they are ignored and slaughtered like this… it's not right, how can progress be made if they are stagnate in their ways?"

"Then we take matters into our own hands." Ryoto said proudly.

"I agreed, we do just that."